Darkwater

October 1, 2012
A slim, elegant retelling of the classic Faustian fable, with an inspirational twist. Victorian adolescent Sarah may be a menial drudge, but she never forgets that she is also the last of the arrogant aristocratic Trevelyans, now fallen into shameful penury. So she cannot refuse Lord Azrael, the current owner of her ancestral Darkwater Hall, when he offers proper work, real learning and even a chance to win back everything her family lost; all she has to risk is her soul. One hundred years later, Tom is another destitute and bullied teen, who would give anything to attend the elite school at Darkwater Hall--anything but the ghostly presence of his twin brother, Simon. When he meets a weird (but oddly mature) girl named Sarah, she warns him away from the new teacher, Azrael--who has just tempted Tom with the education he craves. While not as dense or subtle as her more recent work, this reissue of an early Fisher novel displays her spare lyrical prose and evocative sense of place. (This is its first U.S. publication.) The characters may be paper-thin and their motivations opaque, but they serve as effective players for a morality tale. Readers acquainted with Goethe, Milton or alchemical lore will be rewarded by a plethora of allusions both obvious and sly; but even those unfamiliar with the legendary source material will appreciate the layered symbolism and uplifting message. A dark but graceful parable of temptation, pride, revenge and hope; ideal for classroom reading. (Fantasy. 11-16)

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December 1, 2012

Gr 9-11-Impoverished after her grandfather waged a losing bet 15 years earlier, 16-year-old Sarah Trevelyan must scrub latrines to feed her sick father. The Trevelyans' ancestral portraits cover the grim hallways, but Darkwater Hall is now owned by Azrael, the mysteriously youthful man who won the fateful coin toss. He offers Sarah employment in its massive library, and the teen is overjoyed at the chance to learn. Sarah becomes immersed in the dark world until Azrael offers her a deal-the reinstatement of Darkwater Hall to the Trevelyans in exchange for her soul. Helpless, Sarah agrees to his terms. Flash forward 99 years and 11 months to modern-day Darkwater Academy where a hopeful student, 15-year-old Tom, is dogged by bullies and shadowed by the ghost of his dead twin. When Tom is seduced by the un-aged Azrael's offer of a job in the lab, who should reemerge but Sarah Trevelyan, also un-aged and determined to prevent the boy from making the same mistake she did. Fisher does a lot right in this Dickensian tale as she spins a spooky story and portrays a ghastly mansion that readers can just about touch, taste, and smell. Yet the characters fall short, and the break midway through this already short tale to switch perspectives and centuries doesn't help. Allusions to biblical stories may be above readers' heads. A book for those who really love atmospheric tales with literary quality.-Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Grades 7-10 Fisher turns from dystopian futures (Incarceron and Sapphique, both 2010) to haunted boarding schools with equally skilled construction. In Victorian England, 16-year-old Sarah Trevelyan and her ailing father have lost their family estate, Darkwater Hall, to Lord Azrael, the hall's new master. The enigmatic Azrael offers Sarah the chance to regain her family's position and home, and 100 years of unlimited resources to make up for the many misdeeds the Trevelyans have visited on the villagers. She will not age, but when the time's up, she'll have to give up her soul. Fast-forward a century: 15-year-old villager Tom, haunted by his dead twin brother, Simon, dreams of attending the prestigious Darkwater Hall school. He meets Professor Azrael, who offers him admission at a steep price. Together, Sarah and Tom explore the haunted building and debate the Faustian bargains offered them. Atmospheric landscapes, fast-moving parallel plotlines, and thoughtful meditations on the nature of good, evil, mortality, loyalty, and sacrifice combine for a page-turner a cut above the usual ghost story. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fisher's hit debut, Incarceron, garnered her plenty of fans, who will be keen to see what she's up to here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)